Mangoes vary in color depending on the variety and
exposure to sunlight. Most mangoes start off with a dark green skin color and develop
patches of gold, yellow, or red as they mature. The skin is smooth and encloses yellow to
orange flesh that is softly moist and richly flavored. Mangoes emit a pleasant scent of
pine and peach from the stem when ripe. Here is a helpful tip when selecting mangoes: no
fragrant aroma usually means no flavor.

Mangoes may be
round, oval or kidney shaped, and are About the size of a small melon or large avocado.
The most popular varieties are Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt,
and Haden.

Mango is high in vitamin A and a good source of vitamin
C

A whole mango should be sliced in half (lengthwise, like a bagel) with
a sharp fruit knife, then cut into quarters. Hold each piece down against your plate with
a fork, skin-side up, and pull the skin away. The mango can then be cut up and eaten with
a spoon. You may also be served one that has already been cut  halved, perhaps, with
the stone removed but the skin intact. Eat this like an avocado, with a spoon.

Brazil

Peru

Mexico

Israel

Costa Rica

Mango fruit matures 4/5 months after flowering. In
addition to the fruit color and softness, proper maturity can be ascertained by the snap
of the stem after slight pulling. Harvesting fruit with a 4 inch or so stem in tact
prevests leakage of milky, resinous sap. Fruit can be picked green and left to ripen at
room temperature, usually a week. Harvested fruit should immediately be washed to remove
any sap which will reduce the change of anthracnose. After ripening, fruit keeps at room
temperature for one week, or refrigerated for 2 weeks. Diseases include scale and mildew
which can cause early fruit drop and both are controllable with spraying.

Mangoes are ready
to eat if the flesh gives way slightly when you squeeze them gently. Another
good way to tell is to smell the stem end: If it gives off a fruity aroma, you're ready
for a real treat. Because mangoes vary from green to yellow to purplish-red, colour is not an indicator of whether a mango is ripe.